Mission History
After a successful attack on Bogia
Bay during the night of March 5-6, 1944, a followup mission further into enemy territory was planned for the following night.

On March 6, 1944 during the evening two PT Boats: PT-338 with captain Lt.(jg) Carl T. Gleason and this PT Boat departed Dregger Harbor PT Boat Base to search for enemy barges in Hansa
Bay.

On March 7, 1944 at 2:00am the pair were Idled outside Hansa
Bay. Spotting
targets close to shore on radar, they attacked two luggers moored together,
but heavy machine gun fire opened up from the beach area. Turning to
strafe the beach, more guns opened up including a heavy battery at Awar
Point.

Their first shell fired hit the water
near PT-337, with three or four others hitting nearby. Another hit the engine
room, and started fires aboard, wounding crew member Daley, forcing them to
abandon the boat, that exploded and sank afterwards. PT-338 departed
the scene and every time it approached the area to investigate, was driven away by gunfire
and withdrew alone before dawn.

Fates of the CrewIn a life raft, they attempted
to paddle out to sea, but were fighting strong currents. Durig in the night,
Daley died from his wounds and was buried at sea. Morning found
them still near Hansa
Bay but drifting toward nearby Manam
Island. They attempted
to the island as it might be easier to escape detection and find food
and water. Currents kept them from reaching the island. Two
of the crew attempted to swim to the island, but currents swept them
back. Two others also tried in the night and were never seen again.

By dawn on March 8, 1944, they were still to the north of the island. Delirium
gripped the surviving crew, with more trying to swim to the island, but
disappearing. They thought they saw one of them reach the shore, then
Japanese appear on the beach. Mitchell successfully reached the
shore, saw enemy and returned to the raft. That night, a boat approached
them from shore with armed men aboard, but a sudden squall came up and
the boat disappeared. On the morning of the March 9, 1944, they found a overturned
Japanese boat, and a crab clinging to it that they ate, and a drifting
dried coconut. This was the only food or water they had and all were covered
in sores and sunburn.

Escape
On March 10, 1944 at noon three B-25 circled them and dropped a package
but it sank, but two other packages survived, with instructions that
a PBY Catalina would rescue them the next day. On March 11, 1944 a PBY Catalina escorted by
two P-47 Thunderbolts arrived, rescued the five survivors and transported them to Dregger Harbor.